Summer Courses

The purpose of this course is to provide students with an introduction to abnormal psychology. Students will study psychological dysfunction that is associated with distress or impairment. Topics covered include serious mental illness as well as anxiety, stress, and personality disorders. Content is organized in accordance with the DSM-5 as part of an integrative approach that includes the interaction of biological, developmental, and social factors on the description, etiology, course and treatment of mental disorders. Prerequisite: PSY1000. Fulfills a SOSC requirement in LS Core.

This course provides students with an introduction to both the language and culture of American Sign Language (ASL). This class will focus on expressive and receptive skills in ASL and an introduction to American Deaf culture. ASL is introduced within the context of world sign languages and deaf cultures. Students will participate in the course through recorded lectures, on-line discussions, video observations, and meetings with their instructor and course peers. Fulfills the foreign language requirement (FL) in LS Core and the humanities requirement (HUM) in FC Core.

As an introduction to Christianity, this course will investigate a number of the contexts in which Christianity began, in which it developed, and in which we find it today. Students will study Christianity in the historical contexts within the ancient world and of ancient Judaism, in the literary contexts of the Christian Bible and its interpretation, in the intellectual context of church history, and in contemporary ethical and global contexts. In keeping with the College’s Augustinian identity, mission, and vision, this course will also highlight the contributions of St. Augustine. Fulfills RTS in LS Core.

This course is designed around the assumption that conflict in its various forms is an integral and unavoidable component in human affairs. The course approaches the study of conflict from a communication-centered perspective. As such, students explore how communication theory and research can add to our understanding of conflict. Wide ranges of conflict contexts are examined (e.g., interpersonal; intercultural; small group; organizational) along with contemporary models and theories of effective conflict management.

Analyzes current theories and research on culture, race and ethnicity; and explores the ways in which the individual, social relations and culture mutually constitute each other. The course analyzes the rich interconnections between language and culture, and the role of culture in the construction of self and higher-order psychological processes. Students will examine cultural groups within and outside of the United States. Also includes consideration of cultural issues in the interpretation of personal experience and the role of cultural diversity in contemporary society. Prerequisite(s): PSY 1000. Fulfills: SOSC requirement and D in LS Core. Satisfies the Social Relations requirement for Psychology majors.

Businesses collect enormous amounts of data from their day-to-day operations, facilities, plants and equipment, social media, and websites. These datasets usually contain information on the operational performance of the business, as well as critical insights into the actions and behavior of their customers, suppliers, and employees. However, it has been observed that most businesses are not utilizing the valuable information in these datasets at a time when analytical capabilities and data-driven decision-making have become the key differentiators of company performance and competitiveness. This course introduces students to the world of data analytics for business (business analytics) at an early stage in their program without having to take multiple courses. The course takes a practical approach to familiarize students with data-driven decision-making. Students will develop a good understanding of common business decisions, the underlying data sources, statistical analysis, data modeling, data visualization, and reporting. They will gain hands-on experience with commonly used data analytics software to load, process, visualize, and analyze datasets for descriptive, predictive and prescriptive analysis. In this way, the course prepares the students with analytical mindset and essential data management skills that enable them to view business and management decisions they learn in other courses from a data analytical perspective. Prerequisite(s): MGT 1150

This course provides students with opportunities to examine the meaning of business ethics and the social responsibility of business in light of the numerous high profile challenges that managers face in the current business environment. Varying ethical approaches will be applied to ethical leadership and the management of conflicting values confronting business leaders on a daily basis. The more global issue of balancing principles of good business with principles of ethical behavior in various cultures will be discussed. Students will participate in a significant service-learning project in this course.. Satisfies the E and X requirements in LS Core. Prerequisite(s): at least sophomore standing.

This course focuses on issues of ethics, identity, and society based on our lived experiences. It emphasizes understanding how one’s cultural background and identities are influenced by societal structures and systems. Ethical theories and moral reasoning will be used to enhance an understanding and analysis of these issues. Key topics include the awareness of historical and contemporary contexts of societal structures, their relevance in shaping identities as well as our societal norms, beliefs, values, policies, and institutions. Students will engage with AI and research tools to strengthen their academic success and critical engagement with such complex issues. The course fosters critical thinking, self-awareness and reflection, and the ability to articulate well-reasoned arguments, encouraging students to connect academic insights to real-world applic­ations.

An introduction to data science focused on the three fundamental skills of data exploration, data wrangling, and data visualization. We will use the statistical software packages R and RStudio to create numerical and graphical summaries of built-in and online data sets. Learning will take place through interactive, live class sessions; weekly coding assignments and quizzes; and a semester-long data project. This is a hand-on course; each student will need to bring a laptop to every class meeting to do coding in R and RStudio. No prior knowledge of programming is required. Prerequisite: MTH 1000, Concepts in Algebra, MTH 1007 , or MPA part 1 score of 9 or above. Fulfills: STEM in LS Core

This interdisciplinary course will analyze the key sources of and debates about happiness. As we explore possibilities of increasing happiness, individually and collectively, we will focus on the relationship between happiness and success, culture, motivation, social media, food, and exercise. This course is based on the assumption that learning, at its best, open minds, changes lives, and is fun. Instead of analyzing abstract ideas that are often hard to relate to, we will constantly connect the issues we explore to your questions, beliefs, and dreams.

This course covers the history of rock music in Western culture, focusing mainly on British and American contributions to the style. It begins with an overview of the musics that were predecessors of rock, including early blues, jazz and rhythm and blues, continues through the birth of rock ‘n’ roll in the 1950, and traces developments throughout the second half of the 20th century and beyond, culminating in a review of current trends. Fulfills AL and X in LS Core.

This course is a survey of the discipline of health and fitness, including knowledge derived from performing physical activity, studying about physical activity, and professional practice centered in physical activity. It includes an analysis of the importance of health and wellness in daily life, the relationship between physical activity and the discipline of kinesiology, and the general effects of physical activity experiences. The course surveys the general knowledge base of the Health Science discipline as reflected in the major sub disciplines and reviews selected concepts in each, showing how they contribute to our understanding of the nature and importance of physical activity. The students will learn about the fitness components of wellness; flexibility, cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength and endurance, body composition, nutrition, weight management, and cancer. Fitness and other positive life style habits that lead to better health, improved quality of life, and total well-being will be discussed. Students will be responsible for developing a self-paced fitness program that will be followed for the duration of the semester. In addition, the course introduces students to the general and specific characteristics of the health and wellness professions. Fulfills a STEM requirement in LS Core.

Primarily for freshmen, the course provides students with an integrative approach to learning the functional areas of business while emphasizing oral and written communication and effective group interaction. Students will learn various technical, organizational and operational aspects of business through active learning opportunities, case discussions, technological applications and outside activities.

Introduction to Creative Writing introduces the main genres of creative writing, including poetry, memoir, and fiction. In addition to producing their own creative forms such as poems, song lyrics, literary memoir, and short stories, students will study the works of contemporary and canonical authors in each genre. Classwork includes the workshopping of both short and longer projects and will culminate in a portfolio of revised work. This course counts toward the English major creative writing requirement. Fulfills: AL in LS Core

This course explores crime, justice, and punishment. In this course, the causes of crime and the solutions and policies in place to deter or solve crime will be critically examined. We will also examine the social processes whereby crime is defined and detected, and offenders are apprehended and punished. The overall objective of the course is to examine crime and punishment within the context of the society and culture which surrounds it. These topics are connected to inequalities of race, class, and gender, which will be key concerns throughout this course. Coverage of crime and punishment in the popular media is also a central focus of this course. Required for Criminology and Criminal Justice and Forensic Science majors.

The course will offer an introduction to human disease appropriate for students of all majors. The human body is a masterpiece of art. The more one understands the functioning of the body, the greater appreciation one has for it. Disease states, the body’s natural attempts to right what is wrong and the compensatory actions involved will be discussed. The general mechanisms of disease as well as specific body systems will be discussed from a human-interest point of view. The course focuses on basic medical concepts that are useful to every student and encourages them to become a medical advocate for themselves or for family members. It is so important to understand doctors and your health care plan, to be able to ask important questions, and to know what questions to ask. In addition, the course will cover many diseases that are ‘in the news’ and allow the student to gain some knowledge and insight into the myths and facts surrounding these diseases. Satisfies a Mathematics/Science distribution requirement. Fulfills a STEM requirement in LS Core.

This is a first course in philosophy focusing on classic questions that have stirred the perennial human quest for wisdom. We will explore such questions as: Are humans free or determined? How do the mind and body interact? Is ethics just relative to each person or society? Should there be any limits to the political freedom of citizens? Does God exist? The course will introduce students to the methods and culture of philosophy: sympathetic understanding, critical analysis, fair argumentation, and a persistent desire to know the truth whatever it is. The focus and questions covered will be determined by each instructor. Fulfills the LS Core requirement in Philosphy.

A first course in philosophy focusing on classic questions that have stirred the perennial human quest for wisdom. We will explore such questions as: Are humans free or determined? How do the mind and body interact? Is ethics just relative to each person or society? Should there be any limits to the political freedom of citizens? Does God exist? The course will introduce students to the methods and culture of philosophy: sympathetic understanding, critical analysis, fair argumentation, and a persistent desire to know the truth whatever it is. The focus and questions covered will be determined by each instructor. Fulfills PHL in LS Core. Instructor permission required. Please contact Dr. Peter Ellard – [email protected]

Provides a general overview of the wide-ranging field of psychology. Students will explore major concepts and issues in the study of human thinking, feeling, and acting. These include biological foundations of behavior and experience, how people learn and develop, how individuals perceive the world, individual differences in behavior, social influence and social relations, the difference between normative and non-normative behavior, and approaches to therapy. This course is a prerequisite for all other courses in psychology. Fulfills a SOSC requirement in LS core.

Public health aims to understand the occurrence and causes of disease within populations with the goal of prevention and health promotion, through changes in individual behavior, control of infectious disease and environmental health factors, and social and political organization for health improvement. The aim will be to describe the patterns of selected diseases in populations, to explain the causation of disease at the cell/physiological to social levels, to predict disease occurrence and to control disease through prevention strategies aimed at individuals, communities and governments. Fulfills a STEM requirement and X in LS Core.

The objectives of this introductory course are: (1) to cultivate the sociological perspective by acquainting students with basic sociological theories, methods, concepts and findings; (2) to use the basic concepts and principles of sociology to examine the various sectors of social life; and, (3) to develop an awareness of how and why social forces influence the experiences of everyday life. The course usually begins with a brief review of sociology’s historical origin, its major theoretical perspectives and its various research methodologies. The nature of culture, social interaction, group dynamics, bureaucracy, socialization, deviance, crime, urbanization, collective behavior, and social change are some of the topics studied. The course also explores some of the institutions of society, such as the family, the political economy, religion, education, and the medical system. A central focus of the course is understanding the nature of social inequality as it exists in the United States and across the globe in terms of age, gender, race, and social class. Fulfills a SOSC requirement in LS Core.

This course is designed to provide students with an overview of the general framework of the legal environment in which twenty-first century business is expected to operate. The primary objective is to acquaint students with the many practical legal issues they should be cognizant of and are likely to encounter throughout their business careers. Class discussion will emphasize current court case decisions of the state and federal appellate courts and United States Supreme Court as appropriate. Students will appreciate how the law is integrated into the development of strategic business decisions. Primary course topics will be drawn from the following business law categories: (1) government regulation of business and the court system; (2) the law of contracts, sales and an Introduction to the uniform commercial code (UCC); (3) the law of torts; negligence, strict liability and product liability with some applications to professional responsibility; (4) the law of agency and employment and (5) methods of business formation Including proprietorships, partnerships, corporations and special business forms. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or higher

Explores the development of a typical human being from conception to death. Investigates patterns of change in biology, cognition, personality, social interaction, and relationships that take place throughout the lifespan. Considers several conceptual issues including progression and regression, health and illness, normality and abnormality. Note that students who have already received credit for PSY2300 cannot receive credit for PSY2310. Fulfills a SOSC requirement in LS Core.

One-semester course designed to introduce students to American literature through the study of writers representing a range of cultures and literary traditions. This course counts toward the English major American literature requirement. Fulfills: AL in LS Core.

This course focuses on the basic principles of mass communication and its historical development. Issues explored include media access, media ethics, media effects, and current trends in the growth of digital and wireless mass communication technologies. Students examine the role of the media industry in reinforcing and challenging dominant values, attitudes, and beliefs central to American culture. An additional feature of the course studies how mass media-created ideals have been disseminated internationally, as well as how media businesses reflect, influence and sometimes defy societal norms. Students will also have the opportunity to develop their own independent mass media project. No prerequisite. Satisfies a Social Science distribution requirement. Fulfills the social science requirement (SOSC) in LS and FC Cores.

A course designed to introduce students to the art of active listening to music. A multiplicity of musical styles and genres are employed in the course as means toward the ultimate goal of developing deeper, more aware listening habits in students’ daily life. The course will include exploration of western classical genres, including opera and the symphony; popular styles like jazz and rock; and folk music of the world, including the Americas. Fulfills AL and X in LS Core.

Introduces classical and contemporary thinking on the concept of ‘personality’. Explores the contributions of several important theoretical frameworks in personality theory including psychoanalysis, phenomenology, trait theory, and learning. Fulfills the social science requirement in LS and FC Cores.

An introduction to the American political system, this course examines the Constitutional basis of American politics and the national institutions that are involved in decision-making and public debate (for example, the Presidency and the bureaucracy, the Federal Courts, the Congress, political parties, the media). The course covers issues that Americans argue about (rights and liberties, economic benefits, foreign policy), and the processes by which those arguments are conducted and resolved (campaigns and elections, administrative action, legislation, lobbying, publicity). Required course for all Political Science Majors and Minors. Fulfills: SOSC and X in LS Core.

The marketing course introduces marketing as a functional area of a business enterprise. You will study numerous marketing principles and functions, including the marketing concept, the marketing mix, buyer behavior, market segmentation, product position, and marketing research, all within a global context.

Humans have a long and complex history with what is often called “the sacred,” “the divine,” “the holy,” or God. This course examines human understandings of and reactions to the sacred through narrative. The course begins with the foundational figure in Christianity, Jesus of Nazareth, by engaging in an academic study of the gospels. We will employ the methods of modern biblical criticism to examine the stories and interpretations of the life and teachings of Jesus. The course then moves to the life, thought, and legacy of a seminal figure in Western Christian history, Augustine of Hippo. The course concludes with an examination of select religious narratives from the contemporary period and/or other religions. Fulfills: RTS requirements in LS Core

Humans have a long and complex history with what is often called “the sacred,” “the divine,” “the holy,” or God. This course examines human understandings of and reactions to the sacred through narrative. The course begins with the foundational figure in Christianity, Jesus of Nazareth, by engaging in an academic study of the gospels. We will employ the methods of modern biblical criticism to examine the stories and interpretations of the life and teachings of Jesus. The course then moves to the life, thought, and legacy of a seminal figure in Western Christian history, Augustine of Hippo. The course concludes with an examination of select religious narratives from the contemporary period and/or other religions. Instructor permission required. Please contact Dr. Peter Ellard – [email protected] Fulfills: RTS requirements in LS Core

Businesses are currently facing a fundamental change in the ways that consumers interact with brands and each other. Social media has connected consumers with family and friends while also giving them considerable power over marketers and brands. This course offers an overview of how marketing has changed due to the increasing prominence of social media as a digital marketing tool. The curriculum of this course is designed to equip students with the relevant knowledge, perspectives, and practical skills required to both develop and present an effective social media marketing strategy. Prerequisite(s): MKT 2205

From Pre-Contact through the Civil War and Reconstruction. This course offers an introduction to American history from the beginning of European expansion through the Civil War and Reconstruction. Drawing upon the methods and insights of social, political, and cultural history, the class lectures and discussions will explore a range of topics, including: the colonial encounter, labor systems, racial formation, the movement for independence and the formation of the American Republic, religion and reform movements, the democratic and market Revolutions, the transformation of gender roles, and the causes and consequences of the Civil War and Reconstruction. Fulfills H in LS Core.

An examination of the history of women in America. It will include history prior to colonization, beyond and to the present. A look at women’s roles in US Society and the intersection of gender, class, culture and ethnicity in shaping women’s historical experiences across time. The course will examine the transformations and continuities in women’s lives as well as the political, social, economic and cultural factors that inspired, infused or inhibited women’s changing roles. This class also explores the ways in which race, class and ethnicity have operated to unite and divide disparate groups of women. Fulfills H and D in LS Core.